Road Trip Planner PLUS FREE Printable Checklist

There is nothing like the feeling of a breeze on your face, your favorite song blasting from the radio, and your family and friends ready for a ROAD TRIP! Everyone loves a road trip!

But don’t head out for yours without this free Road Trip Planner!

Don’t Leave Home Before Printing This FREE Printable Road Trip Planner

One of my favorite ways to spend the weekend with my family is a fun road trip. From a planned road trip to spontaneous ones, it’s a great bonding experience and memory maker!

Road trips spell freedom. You are not only in total control of your time, but you can also travel at your own pace to your chosen destination. However, if you’re not prepared, all your plans can go right down the drain in a hurry!

Whether you’re cross-country road tripping or heading out camping for the weekend, you need to be prepared to make sure your trip goes smoothly. From things you need for yourself to the road trip must-have items for the car, don’t forget anything from your list for all your road trip needs, or your trip can turn into a disaster.

Not sure what to bring on your car trip? Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered! This road trip must haves list, and road trip planning guide covers the essential tips to keep in mind along with the must-haves to pack on your next road trip! Be sure to print the Printable Road Trip Planner, too.

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What To Bring On A Car Trip

License and Registration

You wouldn’t want to leave home without them. What’s the first thing you’re asked for when you get pulled over? Be prepared and make things easy on yourself.

Copy of Your Vehicle Insurance Policy

Hopefully, you won’t need to use your insurance policy, but keeping a copy is a must at all times. I know these are things you need to keep in the car all the time, but sometimes they get misplaced, and it’s the last thing you want to find out you’ve forgotten mid-trip.

Spare Tire

Always make sure your spare is available and in good working order so you can make it to the closest service stations. Another thing you don’t want is to need it and it not work or maybe even not be there.

Roadside Emergency Kit

This includes:

• light sticks
• battery booster cables
• reflective vest
• emergency rain poncho
• whistle
• warning triangle
• tire pressure gauge
• window breaker

You can purchase these things separately, make your own, or you can buy a ready made one. This will give you a major advantage if anything goes wrong.

Owner’s Manual

The Owner’s Manual to your car can save you hours of frustration when you don’t know what a specific indicator light means, or you cannot access the fuse box.

Knowing which fuse fixes the broken air conditioner when you’re 8 1/2 months pregnant in the middle of Texas in the summer is a HIGH priority – let me tell you… from experience… long story – but trust me on this.

Water

Keep a gallon of water just in case your car overheats – driving from Texas to California one year IN THE SUMMER – the signs all cautioned us to turn off the a/c and be careful not to overheat – I sure wish we had thought about taking a jug of water then. We didn’t overheat, but it was a tense drive there for a while – those signs really scared me! (side note: never put cold water in a hot car unless it’s running – yep – another experience I had…)

Also, make sure you have extra windshield washer fluid, extra transmission fluid, brake fluid, and oil.

Empty Gas Can

You don’t want to run out of gas and not have anything to put gas in. Also who needs the added expense of buying a gas can when you’re already frustrated enough in having run out of gas and finding more.

Air Freshener

If you’re traveling for several hours and your family is eating in the car, be prepared to help with “unwanted scents” — unless you want the car to smell like an egg sandwich.

Sunshade

Every time you get out of the car to enjoy the scenery, go on a day hike or take photos with your family, you don’t want to return to a car that has been baking in the sun.

Road Trip Accessories That Will Make A Big Difference

Paper Maps or Online Map

Maps.me is one of the best road trip apps. This free travel app allows you to download detailed interactive maps and turn navigation that you can use online or offline.

You don’t need to bring an impossible to folding paper map with you anymore because you can access the optimal route and quickest route with or without phone service.

Lexit app is also a great app to have while on your family road trip. This best app lets you know what’s at upcoming exits when you’re on the highway. This makes getting to your final destination easier and your travel time shorter.

Spare Money

Cash is king in a lot of places — especially when paying for toll roads, any fuel cost, high gas prices, or parking meters! Don’t get caught with no way to pay. Make sure you carry some cash for those “emergencies.”

First Aid Kit

Bring basic supplies like bandages, band-aids, safety pins, and antiseptic. They will be a huge help in the long run.

Flashlight

In case the car battery dies in the middle of the night. Or you can’t find what you’re looking for a night in your trunk in the hotel parking lot.

Bug Spray

If you’re traveling during summer, you don’t want bugs to ruin your vacation.

Large Water Bottles

Staying hydrated is important. Make sure everyone has a large water bottle. Traveling and drinking nothing but soft drinks all along the way will end up causing more than one problem… :).

Baby Wipes

You need baby wipes in your life. They’re one of the best things you can stock up on for your travel plans. You can use them to clean your face, hands, and neck.

If you feel like you want to get a quick shower, but there’s no place to go, you can use it to feel fresher. Plus, you can use it as toilet paper in case you run out.

Toilet Paper

What’s worse than stopping at a gas station, and there’s no tissue? Carry your own to make your long road trips more manageable.

Sunscreen

Whether you are young or old, you need to take care of your skin, especially if you’re exposed to extreme sunlight while hiking or at the beach.

Hand Sanitizer

Keep your hands free of unwanted germs when there is no access to soap and water. The last thing you want is to get sick checking out all those great places and popular destinations.

Sunglasses

It’s not only your skin that needs protection. You do eyes, too.

Towel

Having nothing to dry yourself after taking a dip in the river or anything to lay on at the beach is a huge pain.

If you have limited space in your bag, you can pack a sarong too. It’s multipurpose: You can use it to dry yourself, to cover your body while changing, and even as a picnic blanket.

Flip Flops

These are essential for a road trip. You can change into slippers to rest your feet or if you need to shower in a public shower.

Deodorant

No one should ever leave home without this! When we were youth pastors, I made sure ALL of the kids had deodorant with them as we left for summer camp each year. Because the lasts thing you want is not to have deodorant the entire trip.

Blanket

You can use it for a daytime nap, for extra warmth, and as a picnic blanket. The car can get cold, and it’s nice to have a blanket to cuddle under when someone else is driving—or even having a picnic at one of the tourist spots or national parks.

Trash Bags

You don’t want to turn your car into a trash can. Plastic bags can also be used to store your wet or dirty clothes, too.

Medicine

Better safe than sorry. If one of your family members has allergies, make sure to bring an antihistamine with you at all times. Don’t forget any of your prescriptions, don’t let anyone forget insulin, an inhaler, or any daily essentials that just may get lost in the shuffle of packing.

Dry Bag

If you’re going on a day hike or overnight camp, you don’t want to haul a giant bag around with you. Throw a change of clothes and your gadgets in a dry bag.

Gum

If you’re traveling up into high mountain ranges, the higher you go, the more likely your ears will get plugged up. Chewing gum can help to unpop them. It can also keep your breath and mouth feeling fresher, especially if you can’t brush your teeth right away.

Electronic Battery Pack

Charge your phone and all your mobile devices before you leave home or the hotel, but always keep a battery pack with you, just to be safe. You can also use it to charge your portable speakers and action camera. Because the last thing you want is one of your devices to die during your perfect road trip.

Snacks

It’s cheaper to bring snacks from home than to buy them from convenience stores and gas stations. Keep freeze-dried fruits, nuts, seeds, or nature bars with you. This will help you save a little money while visiting all the amazing places on your road trip route.

Parka, Sweater, or Poncho

You never know when it’s going to rain or if it’s going to be cold. One summer, as youth pastors, we took the kids to Oklahoma in the middle of the summer, and we were soooo cold the entire time. It was crazy. You just never know. So, be prepared for anything weather-wise.

Additional Tips When Going On A Road Trip

Always pack your phone with the necessary mobile apps:

• A Music app with your favorite playlist
• A Maps app such as Google maps to show you the right way to go
• A Traffic app to avoid any car accidents and road construction
• A Gas app such as Gas Buddy to locate nearby gas stations and the cheapest gas stations.
• A hotel app to point you to different hotels in your area, budget range, and more.

Chat with the store attendants. They may give you some fun tips, offer advice on the road, and confirm if you’re headed in the right direction.

A week or two before your trip, make sure to give your car a tune-up and an overall check.

If you’re traveling for several hours, make sure to bring a portable speaker or a fun board game to keep your companions entertained.

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There’s no better feeling than being completely prepared, especially if you’re traveling for several hours! I hope this road trip planner can help you stay fully prepared and know what to bring on a road trip so you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.

Just click the image below to download your road trip planner printable and print. Enjoy your road trip!

What is the one thing you refuse to travel without on a road trip?